Automatic sewing machine installation

ABSTRACT

Automatic sewing machine installation comprising: a sewing machine having no feed grip for the workpiece, with its table and a motive device for driving its shaft, an advance device adapted to conduct each workpiece that is to be stitched onto the entry edge of the table, a feeder device adapted to take over the workpiece and cause it to advance into the machine under the presser-foot and the needle a driving device for the presserfoot, a thread-cutter and its driving device, a driving device for discharging the stitched workpieces, and means for control of the advance device, feeder device, driving device for the shaft of the machine and for drive of the presser-foot, the threadcutter and the discharging device, adapted to bring about the actuation of the said devices in accordance with the appropriate sequence.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Francois S. Fay

Melun, France [21] Appl. No 14,296 [22] Filed Feb. 26, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 11, I972 [73] Assignee Centre dEtudes Techniques des Industries de LI-Iabillement Paris, France [32] Priority Feb. 28, 1969 [33] France [31] 6905321 [54] AUTOMATIC SEWING MACHINE INSTALLATION 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S.Cl ..lI2/l2l.29, 112/121 11, 112/252, 112/212 [51 Int. Cl D05b 33/00 [50] Field ofSearch ..l12/121.29, 121.11,12l.15,2,203, 252,212,214 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,538,972 1/1951 Magnani 112/121.29 3,223,059 12/1965 Jacobs 112/203 X Primary Examiner-James R. Boler Attorney-Richards & Geier ABSTRACT: Automatic sewing machine installation comprising: a sewing machine having no feed grip for the workpiece, with its table and a motive device for driving its shaft, an advance device adapted to conduct each workpiece that is to be stitched onto the entry edge of the table, a feeder device adapted to take over the workpiece and cause it to advance into the machine under the resser-foot and the needle a driving device for the presser-foot, a thread-cutter and its driving device, a driving device for discharging the stitched workpieces, and means for control of the advance device, feeder device, driving device for the shaft of the machine and for drive of the presser-foot, the thread-cutter and the discharging device, adapted to bring about the actuation of the said devices in accordance with the appropriate sequence.

Pmmmmn 3633526 SHEET 2 OF 2 MW ENTOR: 75, Fez L;

AUTOMATIC SEWING MACHINE INSTALLATION The invention has as its object an automatic sewing machine installation aiming at abolishing manual operations, both in the very process of stitching and in the accessory operative functions of delivery of the workpieces that are to be stitched and stacking of the stitched workpieces.

To this end, the automatic sewing machine installation of the invention comprises: a sewing machine not having a feed grip for the workpiece with its table and a motive device for driving its shaft, an advance device adapted to conduct each workpiece that is to be stitched onto the entrance edge of the table, a feeder device adapted to take over the workpiece and to cause it to advance into the machine under the presser-foot and the needle, a driving device for the presser-foot, a threadcutter and its driving device, a device for discharging the stitched workpieces, and means for control of the advance device, feeder device, driving device for the shaft of the machine and for drive of the presser-foot, the thread-cutter and the discharge device, adapted to bring about the action of the said devices in accordance with the appropriate sequence.

In an advantageous embodiment, the advance device, the entrainment device for the machine, the feeder device, the presser-foot, the thread-cutter and the discharge device are driven by pressurized fluid jacks, preferably pneumatic jacks.

The invention will be better understood by reading the following description and by examining the attached drawings which show by way of a nonrestrictive example, one embodiment of an automatic sewing machine installation in accordance with the invention.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically, in elevation, the whole of the installation;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the pneumatic circuits of the installation; and

FIG. 3 shows a modification of a detail of FIG. 1.

The automatic sewing machine installation represented diagrammatically in FIG. 1 comprises a sewing machine 1 carried by a table 2, an advance device 3 for the workpieces that are to be stitched, a feeder device for the workpiece 4 and a device 5 for discharging the stitched workpieces.

The sewing machine is of any appropriate conventional type not comprising, however, a feed grip for the workpiece. Its main shaft 11 can be entrained in rotation from an electric motor 12 through the medium of a clutch, of which merely the driving member has been indicated at 13 and of a suitable transmission represented diagrammatically in the shape of a belt transmission 14. The clutch driving member 13 is actuated by a double-action pneumatic jack 16.

The member 17 which drives the presser-foot 18 is actuated by another double-action pneumatic jack 19 carried by the machine.

The machine is provided with a thread-cutter 22 actuated by a single-action pneumatic jack 23 having elastic return to its position of rest and also carried by the machine.

The feeder device 3 for the workpieces that are to be stitched is constituted, in this example, by an endless travelling band 27 carried by two drums 28, 29. This travelling band is supported by a structure 31 fixed with respect to the table 2 of the machine and it is actuated, step by step, by a double action pneumatic jack 33 through the medium of a transmission of any appropriate conventional type. The feed travel of this band, at each step, corresponding to the length of the workpiece that is to be stitched. The length of the said band is much greater than that of a workpiece, so that one can place in advance, on this, several workpieces at locations distant one from the other by the length of one feed step of the band.

The feeder device 4 for the workpiece is constituted by a fork 41 having at least two prongs, the directions of which are parallel to the feed direction of the workpiece into the sewing machine and pass on either side of the presser-foot 18. This fork is carried by the outer end of the rod 42 of a double-action pneumatic jack 43 arranged vertically and carried by an angle bracket 44 fixed on the outer end of the piston rod 47 of another double-action horizontal pneumatic jack 48 fixed on a table 45 of the same height as the table 2 of the machine and leaving a small gap 8 between it and the rear or exit edge of the table 2. The axis of this jack is parallel to the direction of movement of the workpiece into the machine. A guiding rod 49, fixed to the angle bracket 44, slides in the corresponding end of the body of the jack 48 and prevents the said angle bracket from rotating about the axis of the piston rod, so that the fork 41 is suitably guided in a mere movement of horizontal translation.

The discharge device 5 for the stitched workpieces is constituted by an inclined shelf 52 arranged underneath the exit edge of the table 2 of the machine and mounted so as to be able to pivot about a horizontal axis 53 parallel to the said shelf, under the action of a double-action pneumatic jack 54. This shelf can thus pivot by an angle of about in the direction of the arrow f1 to ensure the discharging and the depositing one after the other of each of the stitched workpieces into a reception through 57 arranged underneath the said shelf, then in the converse pivotal direction to resume its initial position.

On the sewing machine 1, a proximity detector 61 is placed in the path of the workpiece that is to be stitched, just before the presser-foot 18.

The outer end of the piston rod 47 of the feed jack 48 carries a finger 63 which is constituted, for example, by the lower end of the vertical wing of the angle bracket 44 and the purpose of which is to actuate two valves 64, 65.

The pneumatic diagram of the installation has been shown in FIG. 2. In this figure the jacks have been designated by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 and there have been added: a feed pipe 8? for purified compressed air under low pressure, of the order of 0.3 bar, for example, a feed pipe HP for compressed air under high pressure for example of the order of five to seven bars, a two-way safety valve 71 having manual control intended to cut the high-pressure circuit in the installation in the event of mishap or for putting the machine out of gear, a three-way pedal starting valve 72, a five-way distributor 73 piloted by the compressed air in one direction and recalled by a spring in the other direction, for the control of the actuating jack 33 for the advance device, a five-way distributor 75 piloted by the compressed air in both directions for the control of the two jacks 43 and 48 of the feeder device, a pneumatic amplifying relay 76 placed under the control of the proximity detector 61 and serving to actuate a five-way distributor 77 which is piloted by the compressed air in both directions and which serves for the feed of the clutch driving jack l6 and of the driving jack 19 of the presser-foot, a threeway valve 78 piloted by the amplifying relay 76 and also serving for the control of the distributor 77, and a five-way distributor 79 piloted in one direction by the compressed air and in the other direction by a spring, for the feed of the jack 54 driving the pivoting of the discharge shelf 52.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The worker arranges the pieces of fabric or other flexible material, that are to be assembled, on the predetermined locations of the conveyor belt 27 of the advance device 3. The safety valve 71 being open, he presses on the pedal 72, which supplies a piloting impulse to the distributor 73. The jack 33 is actuated and causes the travelling band 27 to advance by one step.

When this jack has reached the end of its travel, the spring of the distributor 73 replaces this latter into its initial position while producing an infonnation impulse of the distributor 75 which then ensures the feed of the jack 43 in the direction of the application of the fork 41 onto the workpiece brought up by the advance device 3 and that of the jack 48 in the direction of the feed travel of this latter, the speed of which is regulated by the flow of the strangler 50. The workpiece is entrained by the fork 41 and, at a certain instant, its front edge reaches the field of action of the proximity detector 6]. The throttled air jet of this latter is therefore disturbed and produces the actuation of the amplifying relay 76 which, in its turn, supplies an impulse to the distributor 77 and to the valve 78 normally open; the distributor 77 feeds the jack 16 in the direction of the engagement of the clutch of the shaft of the machine and the jack 19 in the direction of the application of the presser-foot 18. The jack 48 continues to cause the workpiece to advance under the presser-foot, while the stitching is effected. When the rear edge of the workpiece passes under the proximity detector 61, the amplifying relay 76 changes state, which brings about the return of the unclutching jack l6 and raising jack 19 of the presser-foot. The sewing machine is therefore now stopped, whereas the jack 48 has not yet fully completed its advance travel. The finger 63 actuates the valve 64 which feeds the jack 23 for actuating the thread-cutter, the sewing thread is cut and the freed workpiece drops through the gap 8 onto the inclined shelf 52.

Finally, the jack 48 concludes its advance travel, while the finger 63 actuates the valve 65 which, on the one hand, reverses the position of the distributor 75, ensuring the upward motion of the jack 43 and of the fork 41 as well as the recoil of the jack 48 and, consequently, of the fork 41 to its initial position, and, on the other hand, actuates the distributor 79 which ensures the feed of the driving jack 54 for tuming-over the shelf 52. This shelf pivots by 180 in the direction of the arrow fl and causes the workpiece to drop onto the one deposited previously into the trough 57. When the jack 54 reaches the end of its travel, the spring of the distributor 79 returns this latter into its initial state, so that the jack 54 itself returns to its initial position. All the members have reverted to their initial positions and a new cycle can commence.

One can regulate the speed of advance of the fork 41 which entrains the workpiece in( to) the sewing machine, by adjusting the section of passage of the constriction 50 through which the jack 48 is fed in its feed travel.

If, in certain applications, the adjustment of the section of the constriction 50 does not allow a sufficiently precise adj ustment of the speed of advance of the workpiece, one can use an oil and air jack, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3 in which one finds the jack 48 for advancing the fabric and the constriction 50 traversed, this time, by a liquid 82 contained in a tank 83 whose upper part, which contains air 84, is connected to the pneumatic circuit of FIG. 2.

The invention is, of course, not restricted to the embodiment described and shown, which has been given by way of example; modifications can be made thereto, according to the applications contemplated, without however departing from the scope of the invention,

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic installation for a sewing machine having no feed dog for the workpiece and comprising: a rotary driving shaft, a motive device for driving said shaft, a table with an entrance edge for the workpieces to be stitched and a discharge edge for the stitched workpieces, an advance device adapted to conduct each workpiece that is to be stitched onto said entrance edge of said table, a pressure-foot, a feeder device adapted to take over the workpiece and to cause it to be fed into the machine in a given path under said pressure-foot, a device for driving said pressure-foot, a thread-cutter, a device for driving said thread-cutter, a device for discharging the stitched workpieces said installation comprising means for controlling said advance device, said feeder device, said motive device, said pressure-foot driving device, said threadcutter driving device and said workpiece-discharging device, said control means being adapted to bring about the actuation of said devices in accordance with a desired sequence; said in stallation further comprising a proximity detector arranged in the path of the workpiece between said advance device and said pressure-foot, said proximity detector being adapted to inform said control means for said motive device and for said pressure-foot driving device; a start pedal activating the control means for said advance device and said feeder device; a control member actuated by the advance device just prior to the end of the travel of the latter, said thread cutter control means being controlled b said control member; and a further control member actuate by the advance device at the extreme end of the active stroke of the latter, said further control member controlling said discharging device and said advance device for restoring same to initial position.

2. An installation as defined in claim 1, wherein said feeder device is constituted by a fork having at least two prongs extending in a direction parallel to the direction of the path of the workpiece on either side of said pressure-foot, a support for said fork, a slide movable in the direction of the path of the workpiece, said fork support being vertically movable on said slide 3. An installation as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means for said advance device, said motive device, said feeder device, said pressure-foot, said thread-cutter and said discharging device are pressurized fluid cylinder devices.

4. An installation as defined in claim 3, wherein the cylinder devices are generally compressed air cylinder devices, while at least the cylinder devices controlling the advance device is a hydraulic jack connected to its control circuit through a calibrated restriction and an enclosure provided with a movable fluidtight partition which separates the liquid from the compressed air. 

1. An automatic installation for a sewing machine having no feed dog for the workpiece and comprising: a rotary driving shaft, a motive device for driving said shaft, a table with an entrance edge for the workpieces to be stitched and a discharge edge for the stitched workpieces, an advance device adapted to conduct each workpiece that is to be stitched onto said entrance edge of said table, a pressure-foot, a feeder device adapted to take over the workpiece and to cause it to be fed into the machine in a given path under said pressure-foot, a device for driving said pressure-foot, a thread-cutter, a device for driving said threadcutter, a device for discharging the stitched workpieces said installation comprising means for controlling said advance device, said feeder device, said motive device, said pressurefoot driving device, said thread-cutter driving device and said workpiece-discharging device, said control means being adapted to bring about the actuation of said devices in accordance with a desired sequence; said installation further comprising a proximity detector arranged in the path of the workpiece between said advance device and said pressure-foot, said proximity detector being adapted to inform said control means for said motive device and for said pressure-foot driving device; a start pedal activating the control means for said advance device and said feeder device; a control member actuated by the advance device just prior to the end of the travel of the latter, said thread cutter control means being controlled by said control member; and a further control member actuated by the advance device at the extreme end of the active stroke of the latter, said further control member controlling said discharging device and said advance device for restoring same to initial position.
 2. An installation as defined in claim 1, wherein said feeder device is constituted by a fork having at least two prongs extending in a direction parallel to the direction of the path of the workpiece on either side of said pressure-foot, a support for said fork, a slide movable in the direction of the path of the workpiece, said fork support being vertically movable on said slide.
 3. An installation as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means for said advance device, said motive device, said feeder device, said pressure-foot, said thread-cutter and said discharging device are pressurized fluid cylinder devices.
 4. An installation as defined in claim 3, wherein the cylinder devices are generally compressed air cylinder devices, while at least the cylinder devices controlling the advance device is a hydraulic jack connected to its control circuit through a calibrated restriction and an enclosure provided with a movable fluidtight partition which separates the liquid from the compressed air. 